Shuji Shimada
is the first enemy encountered by Howard Wright in Siren: Blood Curse. He also acts as one of the game’s secondary antagonists. He is a police sergeant with a bizarre gait who attempts to intercept the American boy that stumbled on to the ceremony. He received what should have been a fatal wound from the boy, but the assault of the siren on the village and resulting earthquake seem to have made him rise again. Story Previous to the incident Shimada became a police sergeant sometime in 1971 or earlier. Once, he received a picture from a boy in a local school, which he kept in his logbook. It is unknown how Shuji became a shibito, but he was already starting to act like it, when a film crew from a TV show called “Darkness Japan” arrived in Hanuda in 2007 to create one of the episodes about the village. Shimada attacked and killed one of the crew members, while persuing the other two, losing them shortly after. The same night officer Shimada wanders in the village, killing and persuing the villagers. Later he took his patrol car and drives to a police post. First timeline He is first seen by Howard Wright in Upper Arato moments after the ceremony, he chases Howard trying to kill him while killing every peasant he encounters. Eventually, Howard is able to knock him out with a shovel, throwing him out off a cliff and impale him, seemingly killing the policeman. However when the siren sounds, Shuji wakes up and shoots Howard down from a bridge into the Mana river. Then he goes on killing whatever he finds. Wondering in the forest, Shimada once again encounters two survivors of the “Darkness Japan” film crew and kills male survivor, while female flees and never to be seen again. After that, sergeant returns to his killing spree. On the same night he is later seen by Seigo Saiga while looking for Miyako to proceed with the sacrifice, he is shot down by Seigo with his shotgun, along with 2 other shibitos he probably killed earlier. When Shimada once again came back to life he ventured to Harayadori settlement to eat something, while also briefly perused Sam Monroe, but american was saved by Seigo, who shot policeman once again. Policeman also pursued Amana in Harayadori and was later seen praying to Kaiko. On the next day Shimada is encountered by Howard in the Shibito Nest, now evolved as a Fly Shibito, eating a boil of noodles in the “Lucky Triangle“ and loosing his intellect completely, but still wilding his personal pistol. Second timeline In the second timeline Shuji once again encountered Seigo Saiga, while patrolling near a noodle shop in Harayadori and looking for Bella Monroe. Policeman last seen, once again, in the Shibito Nest, in the end of the game, also transformed as a fly, now guarding the Shibito Brain. Shimada’s ultimate fate is unknown, but he was likely killed once and for all by Howard Wright alongside other Hanuda’s shibito. 'Trivia' Interesting facts *He is based on Tetsuo Ishida from the original Forbidden Siren, as both are policeman pursuing the protagonist before being killed, just to come back as the first Shibito of the game. Unlike Tetsuo, officer Shimada is not from the “Real World” (2007), but rather serves as a policeman in 1976 version of Hanuda. *Officer Shimada, just like Tetsuo Ishida, likes to eat famous Hanuda Noodles. It makes him a third shibito in the franchise, who likes noodles. *He is the only Fly Shibito with a gun in the entire game, which makes him a powerful enemy. *Shuji Shimada also appears in “Siren: New Translation - Episode 0” film, which takes place a mere hours before the main events of the game, and tells a story of TV film crew from the show “Darkness Japan”, since they came to ruins of Hanuda to create one of the episodes. Film crew explores the ruins and eventually encounter two shibito, one of which is Shimada, with Tadashi Shiraishi reprising his role from the game. This is also, chronologically, Shimada’s first appearance within the remake storyline. *While his voice is provided by Takao Ōyama, his model is provided by Tadashi Shiraishi. Interview between Toyada and Toyama about Shuji'''http://fftranslations.atspace.co.uk/sbc/bcarc1.html * '''Toyama: We went to a police museum to do research, and I think we managed to reprodue that era in Shimada's uniform and ID. "Seiji Funayama"'s drawing and letter were done by the designer with his left hand. By the way, the designer's name is Seiichiro Funayama. He went and put himself in (laughs). * Toyoda: Shimada's character stands out. He looks like a glutton, but he also shouts out, "YOU!" in Episode 1... (laughs) * Toyama: That kind of thing was scenario manager Sato's doing. At first he was the character who came through the most, and then turned into a total joke character (laughs). * Toyoda: Since he's going to be compared to Officer Ishida from Siren no matter what, there's quite a lot of strength in his character background. Oh, speaking of Ishida, I've heard that he turned into a half-shibito so quickly because he was drinking alcohol... * Toyama: That's incorrect. That's not how it was, rather one of the proposed theories as to why. There's no way we could say that drinking makes you turn faster, could we? (laughs) Before the siren goes off there are already signs that the real world and Other World are mixing. So, since Ishida was already susceptible, he was affected by it before the siren went off too. Shimada has already left the real world by the time Howard stumbles upon the ritual. References Gallery 11-Large_Profile_S_Sergeant.jpg 2012112517555827c.jpg 201211251843027ba.jpg Category:Characters Category:Siren: Blood Curse Characters Category:Male Characters Category:Enemies Category:Shibito